Mon 17 Nov Baroda to Ahmedabad
Breakfast at SapphireRegency was the best to date. In addition to the hot and cold buffet items, the chef cooks us each an omelet: Mike's with chillies, Carol's without. Hot tea mixed with hot milk to one's taste, and a banana to go. As we ate breakfast, we watched what could best be called a herd of cattle walk down the road and turn into an alley Presumably of their own volition, because they were not being led by anyone). One, which we named "Mr. Frisky," took off at a gallop down the main road.
A little taxonomy here: most Indian cattle are not strictly speaking cows, but humpbacked zebu [that splendid Scrabble word]. Their wild ancestor was the now-extinct Aurochs. Zebu have a high heat tolerance and can survive on a poor diet and little water.
After breakfast, we brought down our luggage and checked out, leaving our bags at the desk. Out to see Baroda before our trip to Ahmedabad. Around the corner was a municipal park with a planetarium, two museums, and a zoo. For 10 R each we saw the zoo. Mostly birds, with a few monkeys, turtles, deer, and larger animals.
The guidebooks were inconsistent about local sites.. One said Laxmi Vilas Palace was open on Monday and the other said closed. We hopped an auto-rickshaw for 50 R, and found out it was closed. So we increased our fare to 80 R and went to the town center.
There we walked around until we saw all four town gates. An auto-rickshaw back to the hotel. We made the mistake of taking it "on the meter." It turned out to cost 230 R.
Before we left town we went up to Cafe Khyber for some lunch. Carol ordered the Mutton Chorba (120 R); Mike, the Chicken Mulligatawney Soup (100 R), and together a plate of Veg. Handi (150 R), two teas and some naan. As at most restaurants, we were served a platter of sliced onions and limes for seasoning over food. We pushed it to the side as we photographed our meal.
NEVER "dis" the onions . . . (to be continued)
We lingered over our meal while we worked on the notes for the blog. Finally, it was time to leave. It was apx 1330.
We caught an auto-rickshaw to the ST bus stand, about 400 m away. But our route took us through complicated traffic and street crossings, and 25 R fare was worth it.
Mike stood in line for 2 bus tickets for the Volvo (A/C) bus to Ahmedabad. It was 1356 when we got tickets for the 1400 bus leaving from gate 1. Somehow, we were able to board.
The ride was relaxing. An Indian comedy film, quite slapstick, filled most of the trip. While we were traveling, Mike realized that he no longer had his camera. GULP. The best guess was that it was at the restaurant. He called back to the restaurant but with no good results.
We rode to the end of the line, not realizing that we should have gotten off earlier at the Astodia ST bus stand. So instead of a quick 40 R ride to our hotel, we had a 200 R ride (or "on the meter") from somewhere in the western suburbs to our hotel, Hotel Good Night, right opp. Sidi Sayyadi Mosque in the Lal Darwaja district downtown. We got to the hotel at 1645, and relaxed for 45 minutes.
The hotel manager called back to Cafe Khyber. Lo and behold, they had found our camera. Just come tomorrow after 10 am and pick it up, they said.
About 1730 we called our former Humphrey fellow from 2012-2013, Madhavi, whom we had come to know at Emory University. She runs a program for HIV positive widows, who fabricate blankets for the homeless for 20 R per blanket, bus fare, and some food.
Her offices were about 300 m away from our hotel. She texted us the address. We set out and went the wrong way, finally finding her.
After she closed up shop, we three took an auto-rickshaw out to the western suburbs to meet her husband and daughter. They prepared us a spectacular Gujarati vegetarian dinner. We relaxed and chowed down. There was much interesting conversation. Madhavi urged us to eat with our hands, since the true pleasure of dining is also tactile. Of course, there was plenty of food left.
At 2130 they walked us out to the bus stop. Soon a bus came along taking us directly back to the hotel.
Breakfast at SapphireRegency was the best to date. In addition to the hot and cold buffet items, the chef cooks us each an omelet: Mike's with chillies, Carol's without. Hot tea mixed with hot milk to one's taste, and a banana to go. As we ate breakfast, we watched what could best be called a herd of cattle walk down the road and turn into an alley Presumably of their own volition, because they were not being led by anyone). One, which we named "Mr. Frisky," took off at a gallop down the main road.
A little taxonomy here: most Indian cattle are not strictly speaking cows, but humpbacked zebu [that splendid Scrabble word]. Their wild ancestor was the now-extinct Aurochs. Zebu have a high heat tolerance and can survive on a poor diet and little water.
After breakfast, we brought down our luggage and checked out, leaving our bags at the desk. Out to see Baroda before our trip to Ahmedabad. Around the corner was a municipal park with a planetarium, two museums, and a zoo. For 10 R each we saw the zoo. Mostly birds, with a few monkeys, turtles, deer, and larger animals.
The guidebooks were inconsistent about local sites.. One said Laxmi Vilas Palace was open on Monday and the other said closed. We hopped an auto-rickshaw for 50 R, and found out it was closed. So we increased our fare to 80 R and went to the town center.
There we walked around until we saw all four town gates. An auto-rickshaw back to the hotel. We made the mistake of taking it "on the meter." It turned out to cost 230 R.
Before we left town we went up to Cafe Khyber for some lunch. Carol ordered the Mutton Chorba (120 R); Mike, the Chicken Mulligatawney Soup (100 R), and together a plate of Veg. Handi (150 R), two teas and some naan. As at most restaurants, we were served a platter of sliced onions and limes for seasoning over food. We pushed it to the side as we photographed our meal.
NEVER "dis" the onions . . . (to be continued)
We lingered over our meal while we worked on the notes for the blog. Finally, it was time to leave. It was apx 1330.
We caught an auto-rickshaw to the ST bus stand, about 400 m away. But our route took us through complicated traffic and street crossings, and 25 R fare was worth it.
Mike stood in line for 2 bus tickets for the Volvo (A/C) bus to Ahmedabad. It was 1356 when we got tickets for the 1400 bus leaving from gate 1. Somehow, we were able to board.
The ride was relaxing. An Indian comedy film, quite slapstick, filled most of the trip. While we were traveling, Mike realized that he no longer had his camera. GULP. The best guess was that it was at the restaurant. He called back to the restaurant but with no good results.
We rode to the end of the line, not realizing that we should have gotten off earlier at the Astodia ST bus stand. So instead of a quick 40 R ride to our hotel, we had a 200 R ride (or "on the meter") from somewhere in the western suburbs to our hotel, Hotel Good Night, right opp. Sidi Sayyadi Mosque in the Lal Darwaja district downtown. We got to the hotel at 1645, and relaxed for 45 minutes.
The hotel manager called back to Cafe Khyber. Lo and behold, they had found our camera. Just come tomorrow after 10 am and pick it up, they said.
About 1730 we called our former Humphrey fellow from 2012-2013, Madhavi, whom we had come to know at Emory University. She runs a program for HIV positive widows, who fabricate blankets for the homeless for 20 R per blanket, bus fare, and some food.
Her offices were about 300 m away from our hotel. She texted us the address. We set out and went the wrong way, finally finding her.
After she closed up shop, we three took an auto-rickshaw out to the western suburbs to meet her husband and daughter. They prepared us a spectacular Gujarati vegetarian dinner. We relaxed and chowed down. There was much interesting conversation. Madhavi urged us to eat with our hands, since the true pleasure of dining is also tactile. Of course, there was plenty of food left.
At 2130 they walked us out to the bus stop. Soon a bus came along taking us directly back to the hotel.
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